Amsterdam Arena renamed Johan Cruijff Arena from next football season

Submitted by Janene Pieters on April 5, 2018 - 16:20

Johan Cruijff's name in a living mosaic in the Amsterdam ArenA, 3 Apr 2016 (Photo: AFC Ajax/Facebook). (Photo: AFC Ajax/Facebook)

The Amsterdam Arena will officially be renamed the Johan Cruijff Arena from the next football season, was announced on Thursday after long negotiations between stadium management, the Amsterdam municipality and Ajax. The Dutch football legend's family is pleased that a decision has finally been made, though it could have happened faster, Carole Thate, who acts as spokesperson for the family, said to NU.nl.

"But let us now focus on the positive story that the name change is a fact", Thate said to the newspaper. "The family is happy with the news that it is now so far that the stadium can officially be called the Johan Cruijff Arena from the new football season."

Incidentally, the Arena will be named using the traditional Dutch spelling of Cruijff, with an 'ij' instead of the international spelling Cruyff with a 'y'. "In an international context it may be called Cruyff Arena, but for the official name it was decided to stay close to the Dutch Johan", Thate said.